Author Archives: browniesmoke

Pentecost 2013: The Holy Spirit!

Posted on July 26, 2013 by browniesmoke

My co-chairman for Sunday School events and I are an ESTJ and an ISTJ (Myers-Briggs). When we plan for our annual Sunday School Recognition each May to close out the Sunday School year, we start planning in May of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Feasts, Food, Parish Traditions, Pentecost, Seasons of the Church Year | 4 Comments

Planning for Advent 2012

Posted on November 15, 2012 by browniesmoke

What’s up at our place for Advent 2012? We’re traveling new paths to Bethlehem this year! Our young parents have asked, and we’re trying some new things. Some things will remain the same. As we did last year, we bought … Continue reading →

Posted in Advent, Lectionary, Parish Traditions, Seasons of the Church Year | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

The Job Maze

Posted on October 31, 2012 by browniesmoke

We all know I struggle with managing the response time. On Sunday, October 21, our talented storyteller told the story of Job from Vol. 6. It was a WONDERFUL wondering period; the five children compared the story of Job to … Continue reading →

Posted in Godly Play, Materials for Work Time, Response Time | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Stations of the Cross for Children

Posted on October 22, 2012 by browniesmoke

When I reported here on our first go at doing a Stations of the Cross for our Godly Play children (ages 4 through 5th grade), several people asked me where they could find the “script” that she used. Diane, our … Continue reading →

Posted in Finding Stories Outside the Classroom, Lent, Parish Traditions, Seasons of the Church Year, Stations of the Cross | Tagged , | Leave a comment

“Blowing Up” Pentecost

Posted on June 12, 2012 by browniesmoke

It is our parish tradition to hold “Sunday School Recognition” on the last day of Sunday School in May (we resume – or begin a new “year” the first Sunday after Labor Day in September in the US). We encourage … Continue reading →

Posted in Feasts, Godly Play, Godly Play Story Materials, Parish Traditions, Pentecost, Seasons of the Church Year | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Pentecost – It’s Time to Eat Flame Food!

Posted on May 21, 2012 by browniesmoke

Pentecost is one of the three great mysteries, and yet it seems to get very little notice. In our case, Pentecost usually comes after we have finished Sunday School for the academic year. In fact, this year the county schools … Continue reading →

Posted in Feasts, Finding Stories Outside the Classroom, Pentecost, Seasons of the Church Year | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Why do you do it THAT way?

Posted on April 28, 2012 by browniesmoke

By my best recollection, we started Godly Play at our church the year my almost 21 year old daughter would have been in 4 year old preschool. Since about that time, children ages 3 through fifth grade use Godly Play … Continue reading →

Posted in Godly Play, Godly Play Story Materials, Jerome Berryman | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Easter is 50 Days / Holy Humor Sunday (April 15, 2012)

Posted on April 13, 2012 by browniesmoke

[I wear another hat in our parish – the editor of the weekly e-newsletter. This blurb appeared in this week’s edition, and I was sure everyone needed a good groan (my apologies).] Easter is 50 Days / Holy Humor Sunday … Continue reading →

Posted in Easter, Great Finds in the Blogosphere, Seasons of the Church Year | Tagged , | Leave a comment

The Labyrinth and Stations of the Cross

Posted on April 9, 2012 by browniesmoke

Some time ago I published this picture of two boys in our 3rd-5th grade class using two labyrinths we have. I am not a labyrinth person (caution would make me add “yet” to that sentence…) but I have many devotees … Continue reading →

Posted in Finding Stories Outside the Classroom, Lent, Seasons of the Church Year, Stations of the Cross | Tagged , | 7 Comments

“We are very much the ‘present’!”

Posted on April 2, 2012 by browniesmoke

In my post “Needed: A Theology of Children,” my friend Fran mentioned in her comment a cartoon I had shown her: The cartoon comes from ASBO Jesus, and I share it with the artist’s permission. We also use it each … Continue reading →

Posted in The Episcopal Church | Tagged | Leave a comment